Support
by Besieged Infection
Summary: AU When life doesn't turn out exactly how you want it, how will you look at things from there? Happy Valentines Day!


Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hush Sound, or anything else mentioned in this story. Any resemblances from original characters in this story to real people are completely coincidence.

Note: This story has yaoi, meaning 'gay mansex', so if you're a homophobe don't come complaining to me with a flame because there are people out there who enjoy these stories. If you don't accept a love between two men then that's your problem.

Note 2: Updated formatting flaws.

**Support**

_"Sora, do you hate anyone?"_

_"Whoa there- Back up, Roxas. What brought this on all of a sudden?" Sora asked, looking up from his position on the floor._

_"Do you?" Roxas inquired._

---

You know how bad a week can go? Very bad. You don't know HOW bad until it actually happens, which is why people are so happy about good weeks, which you don't know how wonderful they can get until they get home and take time to get down on bended knee to worship God/Buddha/Chococat, whoever the religious idiot chooses to pray to. Sora Hikari?

Nope; doesn't pray.

This is probably why he was paired up with Riku Harada. Fate/God/Buddha/Chococat just felt like SMITING him today for not praying like he should have. Oh lord Chococat, the only good thing to come out of the same company as Hello Kitty…

And so Sora Hikari, twin to Roxas Hikari, was currently paired up with the ONLY GUY IN THE WORLD he hated more than spinach. Oh… the evil, EVIL vegetable that it is… Oh yeah, the story.

Anyways, there they were, side by side in the Chemistry lab preparing to do the LONGEST project they would have to do in the dreaded science class. Why oh why couldn't Riku be paired with Axel, his best friend? It's simple.

Since Riku is the most popular guy in the school with chicks literally worshipping (cough/humping/cough) the ground he tread upon, the teacher could either pair him up with Sora, the only person not best friend's with Riku and not dead-set on extorting/raping the boy, or Axel, the teachers friggen AIDE.

Yup.

Sora was stuck with him until graduation.

Yup, you guessed it! The bad week thing has absolutely nothing to do with this story.

But back to Riku and Sora.

It was not only a fact that the two had been at each other's throats, both literally AND technically, since pre-school, but also that they had every single class together SINCE said pre-school happened. Sure, they had different Social Studies classes in 3rd grade (Sora took World Studies, instead), but they pretty much had the same schedules their entire lives.

They were also on polar opposites of the social ladder. While Sora was friends with everyone (sans Riku), Riku was friends with one person (Axel) and lusted after by everyone else (sans Sora). While Sora knew everyone and seemed to simply ooze happiness, love and peace, Riku had a best friend who knows everyone else FOR him; screw peace and love.

But anyways, you get the point. Polar opposites: hate each other: always have: always will. No reason why; just happened.

Whatever. Nothing important, right?

So anyways, as soon as class got out, they packed up and prepared to leave school… but I guess the story doesn't begin with them after all. Let's skip back 2 years, shall we? Freshman year of high school!

---

"Mom, Dad, Sora… I'm gay." Roxas said, facing the entirety of the household (3 people) at the dinner table. He gulped, fearing any and all possible reactions. He had imagined and thought out every response they could give, the ideas given by the blogs of gay teens around the world, and none of them ever turned out good.

"Is that all?" Mrs. Hikari asked, somehow disappointed with the level of his exclamation. "I expected something… more, no offense. Maybe you were doing drugs, maybe pregnant-"

"I'm a guy, mom." Roxas cut it. This was NOT any of the things he had imagined.

"Doesn't mean it can't happen. Arnold Schwarzenegger did a movie on male pregnancy once. Big hit, but I can't remember the name of it..." She glanced at her husband, patting him on the arm; obviously amused at his blank expression before getting up and heading towards the kitchen. There was a short silence before Mr. Hikari spoke up.

"I blame Sesame Street." Was all he said before pulling out a book and beginning to read a 'Beginners Sudoku' book with unusual fervor, muttering something about 'Burt and Ernie'.

Sora, however-

"That would explain a lot." Roxas's twin brother, Sora, proclaimed. "The rainbow muffler, the time you brought a picture of that guy from 'Dirty Dancing' with his shirt off into your room and I heard moaning through the wall, OH! And that time in Disneyland when you-"

"Okay; I get the point!"

Later on, it was discovered that Roxas had started going to a community support group for homosexuals.

Okay; back to present day.

---

"What's with you, Axel? You're happier than usual." Riku asked the pyro after chemistry, obviously not amused by his friend's happy-go-lucky attitude.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The green-eyed boy asked, adjusting his shoulder-bag to a more comfortable position.

"Is it that week long trip to Hawaii with your parents you're leaving for tonight?"

Axel stopped mid-step, a horrified expression crossing his face as his world seemed to end in his eyes. "Please tell me that wasn't tonight!" He begged, grabbing the silver haired teen roughly by the shoulders with a speed that shocked the boy. His face fell when Riku nodded, obviously unhappy with the current clarification of events. "And their birthday's tomorrow, too…"

"Who's birthday?" Riku inquired, not really wanting to know, but at least willing to sound interested.

"A certain special someone whom I love. I was going to introduce you two when the time came." Axel bragged, and then despaired at his luck. "I'm gonna miss their birthday!"

"Would you stop saying 'their' to describe the person you're going out with? It's a little annoying." Riku complained.

"And a little degrading on their part." A voice cut in.

Two sets of green eyes looked around to see Sora Hikari packing up his bags in a haphazard manner. Hey, not all of us are organized.

"What do you want, Sora?" Riku asked, obviously insulted. Axel, however, looked like he had seen a ghost. Sora's confused gaze toward him brought Riku's eyes to his puzzled friend's odd expression.

"I-I must be seeing things… yes… that's it. I've just had a shock and I'm seeing things…" Axel said to himself, turning around and heading towards the school's front doors.

Seconds after he left, Sora asked Riku, "What's wrong with him?"

Riku scoffed, "Wouldn't you like to know?" before leaving, his usual air of 'untouchable' parading around his self as he gracefully waltzed, I'd say walked but it wouldn't do him justice (not that the jerk deserved any), down the hallways of Radiant Gardens High.

---

_"Do you?" Roxas inquired._

_"Well, I don't know about 'HATE', but there's this one guy I really can't stand."_

_"What's his name?"_

---

Ah; yes. Finally Friday night; when Roxas was off to his community support group and Sora got the entire house to himself until 8PM, their parents out with friends.

And so there Sora was, Roxas getting ready to go to his support group, eyeliner in hand (the arts school he goes to has a dress policy and uniforms, otherwise it would already be on), watching _'That Touch of Mink'_. It was the part where Carey Grant's character, Philippe, a rich playboy who had just planted kisses along Cathy's neck and shoulders, played by Doris Day. Sora's eyes practically glued to the television screen as he finally kissed her full on the mouth, crying in despair when Roxas suddenly clicked 'pause' on the remote.

"What did you do that for?! Sora yelled in dismay, turning to the blonde version of himself with a startled expression. "You know I love that movie; old American 50's-60's comedy romance is the best!"

"Dude; you love ANYTHING with Carey Grant in it, especially the romance!" Roxas sighed. "Why don't you just come out already?"

"Come out? What are you talking about?" Sora asked, tilting his head to the side, resting his ear against the plushy fabric of the couch with it distinct smell of wet cat fur. Sephiroth, their Siamese kitten, was currently curled up in his bed in the corner, currently resembling the inside of a coconut rather than a cat.

Roxas sighed, his hands resting leisurely on his neck in a confident manner before speaking his mind. "You should come to a meeting with me, Sora."

Said teen sputtered, choked, and slurred the next few sentences before finally making one discernable. "But… WHY?!" He asked, obviously slightly offended by the idea of going to a support group for homosexuals while he was so obviously STRAIT.

"It's also for supporters, Sora, and you ARE my twin brother. You've never really shown me any support, either. Like when I wanted to get a new rainbow muffler you wouldn't walk near me whenever I wore it. Besides… you're not a strait as you think." Roxas scoffed, heading towards the hallway mirror to apply his eyeliner.

This got Sora interested, getting off the couch to lean against the wall as his brother applied the eye-popping makeup. "Is that so, Roxas? Is there any form of fact that makes you think that I am not the pure incarnation of manitude?" Sora asked, chuckling as his younger half rolled his eyes.

"Well… there's the movies for one." Roxas inclined his eye-pencil towards the TV where Carey Grant and Doris Day were still paused in the midst of their lip-lock.

"What about them?"

"They're chick's movies!" Sora didn't bother retaliating to this, only scowling his response. "Then there's that pout you- yeah, that's the one!" Said adorable puppy pout was wiped clean off of Sora's face with a look of absolute horror to replace it. "And you like bubble baths, skin oil, Chocobo plushies-"

"That's not my fault; they're irresistibly adorable." Sora defended the yellow chicken/emu-like creature.

Roxas continued, despite the interruption. "You like chocolate more than any self-respecting strait man should, you hate having to wear a suit, but love how you look in a dress shirt and slacks. You're constantly obsessed with Carey Grant movies-"

"You've already mentioned that."

"Who cares? You ADORE I Love Lucy reruns, and can't help but squeal every time two characters kiss. Face it; if I'm gay, you are a woman." Sora's mouth was looking very attractive to the flies at this point. Roxas grabbed his arm and started pulling the ever reluctant brunette towards the foyer, his eyeliner finally applied properly. "Now come on; I like being fifteen minutes early."

"But what if someone sees me?"

"Don't worry; barely anyone from your school actually come to these meetings; one of which I can easily swear to secrecy, the other of which never really comes, especially recently now that his friend and I have each other."

"You have a boyfriend?" Sora ground his feet into the carpet to slow the blonde.

"Don't act so surprised. I turn 17 tomorrow."

"I do too, Roxas, and it's not that." Sora finally managed to pull Roxas to a stop, clearly disappointed in his younger twin. "We're brothers, and you know I can keep a secret if it has to be one. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Like you would be interested?" His tone dripped with sarcasm.

"Yes, I would." Roxas turned to face his brother in surprise. "I would be very interested in the fact that my little brother had found someone who understands him as well as I do; but here you go, hiding this from me."

"Sora, I know you've never really been very proud of me being gay, but-"

"You could be a flipping carnie with a giant-ass rat nose and a creepy pet snail you call 'Xaldin' for all I care." Sora pulled the shorter teen into his arms protectively, holding him for the first time in who knew how long. "You're my brother and I will always be proud of you; don't ever think otherwise, Roxas. Your being gay doesn't change the fact that you are my best friend, always will be." He sighed, pulling away from the blonde. "I can't BELIEVE you thought I wouldn't be exited that you had a BOYFRIEND for god's sake! This is the first relationship I've heard of you having!"

Roxas was silent for a while, before a smile spread across his face. "Well, would YOU tell me if you got into a relationship the day before?"

Sora was silent, before voicing his question. "You've only been together for a day?"

"Yeah, for only a day. I was going to tell the family tonight during dinner, since it kind of happened late last night."

"You mean that phone call last night at 11?"

"He called and asked me out. He said he would have preferred to do it in person, but he couldn't wait."

"Do you like him?"

He smiled. "I've had a crush on him since freshman year… now come on; we're going to be late." Roxas grabbed Sora's arm in his signature vice-grip and dragged him out the now open doorway and into the fading light of evening.

It was only 5PM, but the sun had already started to set, the light layer of snow muffling their steps towards the support group's meeting house.

---

_"What's his name?"_

_"Why are you so interested?" Sora asked, turning to the younger of the twins._

_"Just humor me, bro."_

---

The bright red house, placed unusually near to an old but popular strip mall, had not been what Sora had expected. A one-story building crudely made of concrete that gave off a moldy smell and an aura the screamed 'CARNIES LIVE HERE', maybe. A 10 story community building with old, crumbling walls with 9 others stories being used for an AA meeting, sure. But an adorably accessorized 3-story red house placed simply in the middle of a street block between a cozy little dentist's office and a yellow house with the words 'Radiant Garden Eye Care Center'? THAT he did not expect.

So when Roxas began walking up to said house, he could only blindly follow, lost in his own little surprise. Once inside the house, Sora had expected to find a bunch of chairs in a circle in one big room, but again he was proven wrong. Instead, there was a hallway with many doors off to the right, a staircase nestled cozily into the space between the doors. To the left was a room that was obviously the living room, with a long table taking almost all the space. Lots of chairs lined every edge of the table, and were crowded by teens and adults alike. What happened next, however, was the biggest shock of all.

"ROXAS!" a vexingly familiar voice called out to the younger boy before he was tackled to the ground by an equally familiar red and black blur. Sora couldn't even blink as he saw THE Riku Harada sigh and shake his head… in a homosexual support group location.

"So Roxas is the one you asked out last night?" He asked the blur, sighing in disbelief of the situation before turning his eyes on Sora. They raked along his form, taking in everything about the brunette in a raw form of… lust? "So since when have you been gay, Sora?"

Nothing seemed to make sense at that point. If Riku was here, then the ball of red and black was-

"Axel, you can't molest me HERE!" Roxas proclaimed for the world, and Axel, to hear. Sora slowly turned around to face the scene of his brother in a serious make out session with the school pyro, best friends with Riku Harada. Soon the pair had gotten up to face Riku.

Axel wound his arms around Roxas' waist, looking with what looked like smugness at Riku.

Now I was lost. "Hold on a second." I said. "Give me a second to straiten things out." Sora took a deep breath, ready to assess the situation, using his hand to motion toward Riku and Axel. "You both are gay."

"Well, I am, but Axel's Bi, that's why I can never tell if he's dating a girl or a guy." Riku pointed out.

Sora only pointed to Riku this time. "You're gay?" Riku nodded. Sora just stood there.

"What? Shocked that you're finally in my league?" The boy asked; walking up to Sora and tilting his chin up till their lips were only centimeters apart.

"Riku?" Roxas spoke up, gaining the teen's attention. "Sora's strait, he's only here to support me because I wanted him to meet Axel." Sora took that moment to break out of Riku's touch and back away, heading in the general direction of the door.

"Oh, Roxas, I forgot to tell you." Axel said into the boy's ear. "My family's going on vacation to Hawaii for winter break, I'll be gone an entire week."

"You'll be home in time for Christmas, though, won't you?"

"Our flight arrives in Tokyo on the 23rd, Roxie, so yes; I'll be home for Christmas."

As the two had their lovey-dovey moments, Riku's eyes continued to view Sora's body in a way that made the boy fear for his virginity, an almost feral look in his eye gleaming with mischief.

---

_"Just humor me, bro."_

_"Well, there's this guy at school who's always rude and won't give me a chance. We've been stuck together since pre-school." Sora concluded._

_"Ah; that one guy that you've been complaining about for… ever…" Roxas shuffled through his memory, rolling up the names in his head of everyone Sora complained about; a list of one person. "Isn't his name Riku Harada?"_

---

After the meeting, Sora was officially scared. The boy had never paid attention to him before other than to call him a moron, really. Now, all of a sudden, there were lingering touches, looks of pure lust, and manners in place of the previous bundles of hostility. What was with the sudden change in attitude? Riku had always hated him; that's why Sora had hated him… so was there no reason to hate him anymore? And… why had he been a jerk in the first place? Was it because he was gay and didn't know if anyone would accept him? Was that why he was rude to everyone?

Why was he thinking about Riku in the first place? The long haired, model faced, muscular, perfect-

"Sora, pass the salt, would you?" His mother asked, murmuring her thanks when he passed her said mineral, before pausing in her movements. "Is something wrong, Sora? Your face is all red."

"May I be excused?" There was a small silence before she nodded. Sora leaving the table was rare, especially when his food had been left untouched; his Fettuccini Alfredo sat on the plate, pushed to one side of the dish.

He placed his plate on the counter, applying plastic wrap over it to keep it fresh for later. When he went into his room, Roxas looked after him in question.

Once inside his room, Sora couldn't help but know, right then and there, that nothing would be the same from that point on. All because of that boy, Riku, had acted so… overly friendly.

Things were going to change, and Sora had no idea why.

Meanwhile, Roxas was chatting with Axel.

"How was the flight?"

_"It was a little boring, and I didn't like the way the attendant ladies were staring at me. It's like they've never seen an Irish kid and his parents speaking fluent Japanese on a Tokyo to Hawaii flight before."_ Axel complained. _"But enough about me; I'm sorry I have to miss your birthday like this. I had completely forgotten about the vacation."_

"It's okay, Axel. You forgot; it happens to everyone." Roxas soothed the other boy. "I'm just happy you remembered my birthday rather than your trip to Hawaii."

_"Although it was a little counterproductive, wasn't it?"_

"Yes, it was, wasn't it?"

---

_"Hey Riku?" The spiky-haired pyro, deciding it was the best time to ask, said to his friend._

_"Yeah, Axel?" Riku replied, pulling his long silver-blue hair into a ponytail._

_"Will you ever tell me why you're so rude to everyone?" Axel inquired, turning to the other boy. "I've never been in any of your classes, so I've never really seen it first hand, but the other guys have been telling me that you're especially rude to this one brunette kid. What's his name?"_

---

"Sora…" Riku murmured, staring at the ceiling in his usual insomnia induced lack of stupor, his bed's feather soft mattress cushioning a pained back weathered from too many hard days in P.E. The boy sighed, turning onto his side to reach into the bookcase next to his bed. Pulling out a yearbook he flicked on his bedside light to look at his Kindergarten years spend at Destiny Islands Elementary.

'Riku Harada' it read under the picture. His silver hair had been pulled into a pony-tail, his green eyes unusually sharp for a five year old. And right after his picture was-

"Sora Hikari." He voiced aloud, tracing with his finger the hearts he had drawn on with a magic marker so many years ago…

---

_"What's his name?"_

_"Why the hell do you care?"_

_"Well… I'm just a little worried. I've never seen you being rude to anyone, and then I find out you're a jerk in class. You don't expect me to be curious?"_

---

Reaching back into the shelf Riku flipped on his CD player and pulled out more yearbooks while 'So Sudden' began to play from the mix CD in the player to speakers in the ear-buds. Reaching over, he pushed the button once- twice- eight times until 'Carry Me Home' by 'The Hush Sound' began playing as he smiled to himself.

"_I used to dream until I stopped writing fiction. Alright, well that's not true. Maybe it ended when I ended competition, because I'd always lose_." He sung along to the opening line, smiling at the words as he went through the books, looking for the tell-tale splash of brown hair ever present next to green and silver. He would have it no other way.

All the way from pre-school to tenth grade Sora's face was surrounded by the tell-tale magic-marker hearts. He traced all of these with a pale finger, lovingly smoothing over the lines as he had every day since he met Sora; his pure blue eyes captivating his heart even in the pictures from so long ago. A knock sounded around the room, breaking Riku out of his light Sora-induced stupor. "Hello?" He asked, inquiring why someone was knocking at this time on night. Pulling out his ear-bud he looked over at the clock. "Whoever it is, go to sleep. It's eleven at night and I have school tomorrow."

The door inched open to reveal a little girl around the age of four, her nightgown overly large on her tiny frame, delicate and pale. Her large green eyes were soft; comforting rather than piercing as was common in their family. Her silver hair fell to her ankles and, while her right arm was holding open the door, her left arm snugly held onto her little pink bunny stuffed animal, Usa-chan, for dear life. "Big brother?" She said almost questioningly.

Riku sighed, piling all the yearbooks together and placing them on the book shelves with the rest of his books. "Come on up, Ami." The girl squealed before hurriedly closing the door and jumping onto her older brother's bed. "You know mommy doesn't like you coming into my room like this. You need to be a big girl and sleep in your own bed." He commented, pulling the girl into a tight hug.

"Riku, why was mommy so mad when you said you liked boys?" Ami asked.

Riku paused, looking down at the little girl. "You heard that, Ami? I thought you were asleep."

She shook her head, looking up at her older brother through her long silver lashes. "Nuh-uh. I couldn't sleep; you guys were too loud."

Riku sighed. "Mommy's just mad that I don't like girls like I should, Ami."

"Is that because they're annoying?"

"That's right, Ami. They're very annoying and I don't like them." Riku said, smiling down at the girl, who smiled back. At least someone listened to him.

"You like Ami, though, right?" The girl asked, peering up at her older brother, whose smile grew softer.

"I don't like you, Ami." The girl's expression fell, despair evident on every inch of her flawless face. "I love you."

Her expression was immediately brightened by a wide smile that seemed to outshine even the sun. Diving into his stomach, Ami hugged Riku for all she was worth, burying her face in his pajamas. "I love you too, big brother!" She squealed. Placing his arms around the girl, Riku pulled the girl into his lap.

"Is there anything in particular you wanted to talk to me about, Ami?" Riku asked the girl, content with treating her as no less than his best friend; an equal.

"You know what you mentioned earlier? About liking boys? Which boy do you like most?" She asked, looking up at her brother with nothing less than pure curiosity pouring out of her eyes.

Riku was taken aback by this question, but smiled almost immediately afterwards. "Can you keep a secret from everyone; even Mommy and Daddy?" He asked, looking at the girl with expectation. When she nodded fervently he reached over for the yearbooks, pulling them all out.

"Is he in here?" She asked, looking at the old yearbooks.

"He's in every one." Riku replied, opening the first book. Pre-school.

"It's you!" She exclaimed, looking at the four year old picture of Riku. "You look mad…"

"The first two takes had failed and by the time they took the picture I had no smiles left in me." Riku explained before pointing to the picture next to his, surrounded by the tell-tale magic-marker hearts, sloppily drawn with his four year old hand. "This is him; Sora Hikari."

"His eyes are pretty…" Ami noted, staring at the pools of light that were the boy's eyes.

"They look even better the older he gets; believe me." Riku told her, pulling out the next yearbook. Picture after picture he showed her, telling her about the boy until he was convinced that if they ever met Sora would think him a stalker. That's when Ami asked him a question he didn't expect.

"Are you boyfriends?" The girl looked into the boy's eyes at that moment, noting that they had lost a spark she could have sworn was there a second before. She didn't know she had just killed a part of her older brother-

"No."

-until he answered. She continued none-the-less, her four year old brain churning in possibilities and opportunities. "Do you love him?" Riku didn't answer this; only told her that it was time to bed and that it was getting late.

---

_"You don't expect me to be curious?"_

_"It's really none of your business, Axel."_

_"I'm your best friend; that automatically makes it by business."_

---

The first week of Winter Break was uneventful, so say that Riku Hikari was surprised when his little sister insisted that he take her to the homosexual support group with him would be an understatement. Not only had the little girl never asked to go to said meetings, she had never had an interest in them in the first place. So when an entire week went by without incident he just wanted it to end the same way. Without incident.

On the way to the meeting something jumped to his head. "Ami?"

"Yeah, big brother?" She asked, looking up from her position walked on his right, holding tightly onto his hand.

"If Sora's there could you possibly be friends with him without telling him about the yearbooks?" The thing about Ami is that she strove to be everyone's friend at all times without any sacrificing anything.

"Sure big brother! I'd never tell anyone your secrets, that would just be mean." She said, smiling up at her male look-alike. Their skins were the same color white, translucent to the point where no one could think of them as anything other than family, silver hair and green eyes aside.

---

_"I'm your best friend; that automatically makes it by business."_

_"Axel-" Riku began._

_"C'mon, Riku. Humor me, kay? I finally get some dirt on you and yet you refuse to indulge me!" Axel complained. Riku sighed._

---

"So could you guys please keep it G-rated for my little sister today? If she manages to learn the name of an anatomy that she shouldn't know about until she's seventeen or, by some miracle, discovers and copies a single word of profanity my mother would have my hide before I could say 'IT'S NOT MY FAULT'." Riku begged the other members.

The others in the meeting all nodded their heads, leaving Riku to sigh in appreciation.

"It's cool to have a little one at these meetings; it'd be good for community standards." Naminé noted, leaning against her girlfriend, Kairi, who twirled her thumb around hers in a casual, loving gesture. Naminé twirled back. Faster and faster their thumbs moved. "You know this means war." She said; glancing up at her girlfriend before an all out thumb-war broke out between the two.

"Come on, people; the meeting's about to start!" A woman around the age of 30 shouted, calling the teens into position around the table. Her eyes alighted upon the teens trying to find a seat until her gaze landed on little Ami. "It appears we have an adorable guest. Remember to sign in, everyone, and keep it G-rated for the little one." Yes's were said throughout the room. "Okay; first thing's first. Everyone pass the sign-in sheet around the room and we'll start 'ups and downs'. I'll go first." She thought for a moment. "I'm Minami and I'm twenty-nine years old." Boos went through the room and she laughed. "And I have been twenty-nine for the past four years." Everybody laughed at this. The woman had been saying twenty-nine for the past four years, and she did NOT want to be thirty. "My up for the week is that my wife and I had out anniversary on Thursday." Everyone clapped at this, cheering as the woman grinned and scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "My down is that I got food-poisoning on Monday." She pointed to Kairi, who was to her left.

"I'm Kairi, I'm sixteen. My up for the week is that Naminé and I went to this amazing amusement park on Tuesday and my down is that she got sick on the Farris Wheel." She said.

Naminé then stood up. "I'm Naminé, and I'm sixteen. Look to her for my up and down." She pointed to Kairi, a nervous smile pasted onto her face. After that, a guy named Seifer said he gotten a black and white kitten that he had thus dubbed 'Cumminator', Raijin and Fuujin won the regional martial arts duo competition, and Hayner got a job at a sporting goods store. Just as the line reached Riku, the door flew open and in came Sora and Roxas Hikari, panting and tired.

"Sorry we're late; Sora wouldn't let me put eyeliner on him without a fight!" Roxas informed them, dragging said twin brother into the living room with him.

Now, as you know, Sora's eyes tend to stand out on him more than they did others. However, with the eyeliner, they seemed to simply dominate his face, swallowing your soul with a simple glance into them.

"He's pretty, Riku." Ami said excitedly, pointing strait at Sora who looked at the little girl in surprise.

Riku looked down at the little girl, giving her a small smile of encouragement. "Yes, he is, isn't he Ami?"

---

_"I finally get some dirt on you and yet you refuse to indulge me!" Axel complained. Riku sighed._

_"His name's Sora Hikari and I think I've known him even longer than I've known you."_

_"What? Just can't stand the guy or just one of those 'unadulterated hatred' things?" Axel inquired._

---

"It's so sad…" She said.

"Huh?" Sora inquired, asking his childhood friend, Tara. She was unpopular, being a loner and all. She was separate from society except for those who wanted her advice, never to return the favor. Your commonplace misfit. Sora, Tara, and Roxas had always gotten along well, however. Exact opposites that complemented each other. "Did something happen?"

"It's just that there are so many in the same situation, but the situations are so vastly different in their own ways." She said.

Sora looked at her in question before asking, "People watching again?" She nodded. "What did you see?"

"I saw two people. One of them is in love with the other, but the other doesn't know it." It was a rule of hers that she never mentioned names in her stories; that way it wasn't gossip, just observations. "The other doesn't know that the truth is that the first one I mentioned has been in love with them for more than a little while." She paused. "He's getting sick of me." A different topic.

"That guy who sits on your bus?" Sora asked, looking to the girl who's frame was delicate and weak. She nodded. Sora frowned. "How come?"

"I think he finds me annoying." She said. A silence spanned between the two before she continued. "I'm going to back off."

"Back off?! Why?" Sora exclaimed.

"I don't want to bother him." She answered.

"Bother him? But you really like him, don't you?"

"It doesn't matter whether I like him or not, Sora. The world isn't as beautiful as you might think; not all of us can have a happy ending." Tara looked down at her hands, which were thin, small, and long fingered. Her palms were too small for her fingers, giving them a slightly intimidating look. Their pale color, a white that rivaled even the paper in her messenger bag, seemed sickly; which it was. Her body was thin and riddled with scars. Her nose was perfectly shaped, but too thin by other's standards. Her eyes were deep, wide, and beautiful, though hidden behind her glasses and rimmed with purple shadows caused by insomnia. Her mouth was full and luscious, naturally a darker blood red that shone out with so much color most thought it was rimmed with lipstick, though she would never touch make-up. Although, individually, her traits were breathtakingly beautiful, they were poorly paired, leaving her appearance that of your average ugly girl. Her face shape did not help, either; slightly rounded, making her appear two to three years younger than she was. Her body, shapely and flexible, was nothing less than a man's wet dream, though eyes never made it to her body. "As long as he's happy, I don't mind being unhappy. It doesn't really matter to anyone if I'm unhappy, either."

"Yes, it does matter." Sora argued.

Tara sighed, her stomach rising rather than her chest with many years of vocal practice. "It doesn't matter if I like him when he likes girls who are nothing like me. He likes those kind of girls with long hair, tan skin, who're athletic and all made up." She told the old boy. "I'm just a hindrance to him."

"You're not a hindrance to anyone, Tara." Sora argued.

She sighed. "I wish I could believe that, Sora." She said before getting up from her position of sitting against the library wall with Sora, reaching her hand out to the boy for a hand up. He took it as she pulled him up from his seat just as the bell rang. "I'll see you at home, okay So?"

He looked to her, then the door. "Sure, Tara."

Tara didn't actually go to Radiant Garden's High. She went to the arts school next door as a sophomore. She only had three classes a day, though, so she often came to the high school to chat with Sora. The two were next door neighbors, and ever since she had moved in so long ago she never failed to baffle Sora.

---

_"What? Just can't stand the guy or just one of those 'unadulterated hatred' things?" Axel inquired._

_"Quite the opposite, Axel." Riku said._

_"What are you getting at, Riku?"_

---

"Okay, so if the mercury and iron won't mix, then what do you suggest we do, Riku? We can't exactly mix the mercury with water to thin it out!" Sora complained.

"Yes, but what about copper?" Riku pointed out rather than asked, placing the opportunity on the paper. "It would increase the ability for conductivity and better support the battery. It's the ideal at every turn, you must admit."

"That is true, but remember that our most important component in this battery project is iron, so we're not allowed to use the right amount of copper, otherwise copper would be the main attributed metal." Sora contradicted the boy.

"But what if we used iron as the coating?" Riku asked. "If we use iron as the cover for the battery then it is what prevents the electricity from flying everywhere, so that would automatically make it the most important." Riku looked up at Sora before chuckling.

"What?" The blue eyed teen asked.

"Eyeliner." Riku said, pointing to Sora's eyes, which were, in fact, coated in the tell-tale black makeup.

"So what? I like it." The boy noted.

It was Friday night, and they were at Sora's house working on the battery project. They would have to create batteries in class and work on the formulae's at home, not in class, so they had to meet somewhere. Sora's parents were on a trip for one of his mom's newest books, and Roxas was out with Axel.

The grandfather clock in the corner chimed once… twice… eight times.

"I better get going; it's getting late." Riku noted, looking at the vintage clock with slight amounts of regret. Sora sighed. "What is it?"

Sora smiled and shook his head. "I'm just surprised we lasted so long in the same room without getting into some big, nonsense fight about everything and nothing!" He said.

Riku paused in his movements to get up from the couch, their notes spread haphazardly across the coffee table. "You're right; we haven't gotten in any fights recently, have we?"

Gathering their notes together into one big pile, Sora walked Riku to the door. "I'll see you on Monday, then?" Sora asked.

"Yeah. Same time same place?" Riku asked.

"Sounds good." Sora opened the door for Riku, holding it open for the boy to exit. Riku paused halfway out the doorway, though, puzzling Sora. "Is something wrong?"

Riku shook his head no before leaning towards Sora, leaving a quick kiss on the boy's cheek. "Monday it is."

And then he was gone.

---

_"What are you getting at, Riku?"_

_"I'll tell you later, Axel."_

_"You're gonna tell me now, or I'm gonna know why."_

---

"I'm home." Roxas called into the house. After a few moments of waiting at the door, Roxas paused. Something was wrong. "Sora?" Running into the living room Roxas expected to find Sora watching one of his Carey Grant movies, or maybe playing some video game. What he found, however, was his older twin sitting on the couch in a little ball, murmuring small nonsense under his breath.  
"Sora, are you okay?" Roxas asked, running over to the boy's side, only to have him latch onto his brother latch onto his arm.

"H-he-lp… I… I nee…" Were the only half words Roxas could get from the boy. Understanding the situation, Roxas reached for the phone on the table next to the couch. Dialing Tara's number he called the girl over, hoping her wonderful advice would save the day, as it always did.

She was over within minutes, bringing a multitude of mint, green, and peach tea from her stores at home.

"What? No oolong?" Roxas asked, noting the pile of teabag boxes in her arms.

"Ran out last week." She noted, pushing her way into the room.

She immediately ran to the kitchen, fixing three cups of tea. One green, was peach, and one mint. Sora immediately got up from his position on the couch, gravitating strait to the cup of peach tea as Roxas picked up the green tea and Tara the mint. It was a philosophy of hers that a cup of tea can help any situation, and every tea has its properties. Green for standing by and listening, mint for a clear head for solving problems, and peach for calming; Oolong was a miscellaneous in her book, used for headaches rather than emotions. They all eventually left for the living room, teas in hand.

After five or so minutes of careful sipping and blowing on their hot teas, Tara finally spoke. "What happened, Sora?" She asked. Never one for tact, she always came strait out.

Silence reined before Sora began to speak, his voice still not cleared by the weak flavor of peach tea. "H… He… I…" He choked, looking down at his tea. Taking this as a sign, Tara pulled a peppermint teabag out of her pocket, adding it to the peach teabag already in Sora's cup. The peach had sorted his emotions, now the peppermint would sort his throat. A few minutes later the boy took a sip from his tea before adding a few spoonfuls of sugar to the mix, stirring it with the spoon before taking another sip.

A few sips later, Tara asked again, "What happened, Sora?"

"He kissed me." Sora voiced.

"He what?!" Roxas asked quietly, somewhat shocked at the answer.

"Roxas," Tara silenced him. "How did he kiss you, Sora?"

"Wha-" Sora began.

"Just answer the question, Sora." Silence reined before the boy spoke up.

"We- we were saying goodbye. He was going home from the project when it turned eight." He paused, listening as the clock in the hall strike ten times before quieting. "When I opened the door for him to go through he… he leaned down and-"

"-he leaned down and kissed you?" Tara finished.

"He leaned down, pressed his lips against my cheek, and then… and then he was gone." His voice faltered on 'gone', as if he was afraid of the word.

"Sora," Tara began. "I'm going to ask you this once, and one time only." He looked up at her with wide, scared eyes. "Did you ever think that you might be in love with Riku?"

Sora perked up at the implication, his expression quickly changing from that of fear to anger. His eyes flashed. "What? I am not gay, Tara! Don't go pointing fingers where they aren't needed!"

"I'm not saying that you're gay, Sora." The got two pairs of eyes planted firmly on the girl.

"What?" Sora was simply befuddled by those words, his anger fading quickly into a small buzz of heat in his cheeks. "What do you mean?"

"I'm asking you if you're in love with Riku, not if you're gay. There's a big difference, Sora." Tara informed the boy, looking into her tea, where only the last remains of the mint-infused dregs remained. The boys continued to look at the girl. Sora looked down at his tea before the girl sighed, drawing the boy's eyes to her as she shook her head. "Sora; are you ready to fall in love?" When no answer came, she sighed, picking the boxes of tea from the table and pulling them into her arms before she left the house, Roxas close on her heels.

"What did you mean, Tara?" He asked, grabbing the other teen by her elbow

"If their names are of any indication, those two are as different as land and sky. I've known there was a spark between the two since I first saw them together; I saw the potential of a relationship." She told Roxas. "You're going to need some space from him for a couple days, you know. He needs to figure things out of his own." She looked out over the horizon. "You know… it hurts." Roxas gave her a questioning glance before she walked next door, intent on getting some sleep.

Roxas headed back inside, before having a sudden thought. Rushing into the living room he looked over at Sora. "Do you know why he kissed you?" Sora looked up at his brother, still encased in the blanket. "Do you know why Riku kiss you, Sora?" He repeated.

Sora shook his head. "We were saying goodbye, and the next thing I know his lips were on my cheek and…" He stopped, but that was all Roxas needed.

Everything just made sense.

---

_"I've just been in love with him for as long as I remember."_

---

"Riku!" Ami called as her big brother got home. "Why do you look so happy, big brother?" She asked.

Riku smiled at the little girl, leaning down to pull her up into his arms, swinging her through the air. Her silver locks, almost as long as his, trailed her through the air. "That's because I am happy, Ami." He said simply, holding her up in the air as she laughed, enjoying the height like a mere newborn.

"Is this about Sora?" A voice asked. Riku turned to see his mother, who's face was twisted in a sour expression. His father, Xemnas, stood behind her, a menacing figure as always. "We need to talk." She said, pointing to Ami's room.

The girl sighed as Riku put her down, getting the message as no other five year old would. Her perceptiveness was something to be envied, but Riku sometimes wished the girl wasn't as smart as she was. She went strait to her room, not protesting with anything more than a sigh, and was, no doubt, preparing to spend the next hour or so in there.

Once she was safely in her room, Riku turned to his parents who were taking seats on the green couch, as uncomfortable as it was. Riku chose to take a seat on the opposing rocking chair, opting for comfort rather than the appearance that he was taking this seriously. Looking at the two, he finally spoke. "What do you know about Sora?" He asked.

His mother sighed. "I hope you know the only reason I don't like your being gay is that it… might rub off on Ami."

"You make it sound like some kind of disease." Riku opposed.

His mother flinched while his father remained impassively silent as usual. "I know it's something you're born with, Riku; I'm just worried how she might grow up! You know society isn't very accepting of homosexuals and their supporters. It's just that I don't want her going to high school in the future and getting bullied because her brother is in love with another man. You know how people can be." She explained.

"That won't be a problem." Riku told her, bringing a look of surprise to his mothers face. "People in high school are too shallow to see anything beyond a skin-deep measure. They don't look at her brain, they look at her face, and face it; it's going to be one heck of a spectacle." His mother looked at him in shock, but Riku couldn't help but catch a drop of pride in that face before the woman got up and stormed off into her room, her husband at her heels. Hearing a door creak, Riku looked over to see Ami looking out her door at him. "Great timing, Ami; the grown-ups are done arguing, now." He smiled. She didn't. "What's wrong?"

"Mommy was mad at you because of me?" Riku shook his head, but she continued. "She was afraid I would get hurt if you liked guys as more than friends, right big brother?" The girl was smart, he had to give her that.

Riku smiled before pulling the girl into his arms. "She was afraid people were going to hurt you for who I am." He said. "It happens in the world sometimes."

"I've seen it." She said. Riku looked down at the girl in shock, not expecting this. "These boys were teasing someone because their friend was always reading instead of playing with the other kids."

Riku had a feeling that she wasn't telling him the entire truth, but he would leave it at that. "It's just like that, Ami." He sighed. "There really is a lot of scum in this world, isn't there?" She nodded.

---

_"Face it; if I'm gay, you are a woman."_

_Maybe he was in love with Riku…_

---

"Hey Riku- are you ready to work on the project?" Sora asked, hand clenched behind his back to hide his shaking. The worst part about it was that he couldn't tell if it was from fear or nervousness.

Neither was an attractive prospect.

"Yup; are you?" Riku replied, half wishing Sora would say no to give him a reason to hang around an extra hour or two without worrying about the project.

"Do you have to ask?" Sora replied almost confidently, though that confidence disappeared as soon as the front door was closed. It had just occurred to him that they were alone for the entire day. It was Sunday, and Roxas was spending the night at Axel's while their parents were still away on one of his mother's book signings. His hands, which had previously started shaking, began to dangerously vibrate, forcing Sora to clench his hands almost painfully. He looked down at the appendages that seemed to want nothing more than to shame his existence that that moment, as if they had done something so immeasurably sinful to him that he could not even remember what it was. But he knew; he knew at that moment they weren't shaking in fear. They were shaking because he was uneasy to the point where he was just barely functioning, if you could so much as call it 'functioning' in the first place. Simply put, he was a nervous wreck.

"Are you okay?" Riku asked, pulling Sora out of his clamor for control.

Sora looked up sharply to see that he was still in the foyer, Riku leaning into the hallway from the arch connecting it to the living room. "Fine." He managed to say after many failed attempts at speaking. He walked stiffly through the arch, taking a seat on the plushy fabric of the couch as Sephiroth jumped onto his lap, purring fast enough to rival the shaking of Sora's hands as the boy attempted to pet the Siamese feline, his long, soft fur managing to bring some sanity back into his mind. And with the help of Sephiroth, Sora managed to make it through the entire work-session without breaking into water works.

As he was saying goodbye to Riku, however, something came over him. Leaning up, Sora placed a small peck on Riku's cheek. "Bye." He said, a sad smile adorning his face. Riku looked down at the shorter boy in wonder before a small smile alighted upon the boy's features.

The silver-haired boy brought his hand down, lifting Sora's chin at an angle before whispering, "Never." He seemed to want to go on, but opted instead to lean down until their lips lightly brushed, drawing a gasp from the shorter boy. Sora, in the back of his head, seemed content to scream murder that he was not gay and that he was not in love with Riku of all people. However, all he could do on the surface was wrap his arms around the taller boy's neck and pull Riku closer who, in turn, wrapped his arms around his waist, pushing him inside, using his foot to close the door.

Being pushed into the cold walls of the house should have been a wakeup call, but it seemed to do nothing to distract Sora from what was going on at that moment. The boy had never been kissed before, but in the stories Roxas seemed so fond of they always mentioned thundering hearts, the mouth a blazing inferno of pleasure, and the skin lighting afire in possible lustful actions. Sora, if the kiss had ended there at that moment, would have said that it was all a complete lie writers used to trap readers in a world they would never belong in. However, when Riku's tongue slowly swiped at his lips Sora couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy. Though it wasn't the inferno they were always talking about, it was more than enough to send him for a loop.

Opening his mouth the other's ministrations he found a tongue gently probing the inside of his cheeks. The feeling was wet and tasted strongly of peppermint, but Sora wanted to stay like that forever. Soon enough he found his tongue swirling in time with Riku's, entwined in an elaborate dance as old as time itself. His mind didn't register when Riku hoisted him up, wrapping his legs around his torso and carrying him down the hall until he found a room labeled 'Sora'. Nor did he notice when the door was slammed shut behind them and he was set on his bed. All he could focus on was how Riku's tongue gently played with his as the boy's arms went from his waist to his chest, brushing across the shirt he was wearing, lightly tugging at the material before smoothing his hands under the piece of clothing, caressing the soft skin he found there. Breaking the kiss, Riku looked down into Sora's eyes, half-lidded in passion, reveling in their color before resting his lips on the boy's neck, sucking and biting the skin her found there, drawing gasps from the brunette under him. The blood was rushing to his groin, hardening at the sounds of the boy's gasps and moans.

Pulling Sora's shirt up, he redirected his attention to the dark circles that were placed on Sora's chest, laving at one nipple with his tongue while massaging the other with his thumb as the buds hardened under the attention he lavished upon them. Sora writhed under him, his face beginning to bear sweat as his pants seemed to grow tighter. Suddenly a gasp seemed to make sense as he seemed to like nothing more than to pant the other boy's name. With a smirk, Riku reached down into Sora's shorts, pulling on their drawstring and reaching in. Sora moaned loud and long, overcome with the sensations that were flying at him as the taller boy began to slowly pump his member before bringing it out of the material. Sora gasped as his cock suddenly met cold air, throwing his world into stark relief.

It was Riku doing these things to him.

Riku.

The thought didn't upset him, like it would have only weeks ago.

Sora closed his eyes as a tear slowly formed in his eyes. Tara was right.

"Sora?" A worried voice asked. He look down at Riku, who had moved away from his manhood to look him in the eye, kissing away the tear. "Is something wrong? If I'm pushing you, please let me know. I don't want to do anything to you that you don't want."

And with that, Sora cracked. A gentle smile swept along his face before he pulled Riku in for a heart-stopping kiss. Breaking apart from the kiss, something that almost shattered his world, Sora whispered, "I'm in love with you."

And with that, Riku's world was complete. "I love you, too." He whispered, kissing Sora one more time before planting kisses all along the boy's body, dipping his tongue in the brunette's navel as Sora arched against the mattress. Bringing his hand back to the boy's member, he slowly brought his hand up and down along the shaft until the first drippings of pre-cum dripped from the head Pulling his hair away from his face, he leaned down to suckle on the pre, backing in the moans that cascaded from his lover's mouth. Then, in a quick flash of thought, he pulled the boy's dick into his mouth, stopping only when his gag reflex began to react to the intrusion. Pulling away he tugged at Sora's shorts, smiling when the boy lifted his hips, allowing him to remove them along with the boy's boxers. Riku began to suck his finger, coating them in a thick layer of saliva before beginning to suck once again on the boy's member. After a moan left Sora's throat, Riku slipped a finger in, almost choking as Sora bucked away from the alien sensation, forcing Riku to choke on the boy, jerking from the skin.

"It hurts." Sora winced.

"It's alright; just relax, Sora." Riku told him, brushing a hand along his him, pushing him back down onto the bed while inserting another finger, scissoring them inside the brunette.

"But it hurts, like something's tearing me!" Sora whimpered, attempting the buck away from the feeling, but finding himself being held to the bed by Riku's other hand.

"It'll start feeling better soon; I promise." Riku said, planting kissing along Sora's hips before adding a third finger, pulling a scream from Sora. He immediately withdrew the fingers from the boy, panic overwhelming his being. He leaned down, bringing his tongue to the boy's entrance. The scream died out into whimpers. Before long, Sora found himself bucking into Riku's tongue. Riku, regaining his courage, slipped a finger between the boy's cheeks, pleased when he didn't tense or scream. He moved the finger around before he brushed against something that was raised on the inside, drawing a long moan from the other boy. Looking at Sora in shock, Riku brushed against the spot again, harder, pleased when he was rewarded with a long set of gasps of approval. Slipping another finger in, he massaged the little bundle of nerves, his long digits bringing Sora into a lustful state he thought he would never witness. Slipping the third finger in, he began to stretch the boy, making sure to distract him with his mouth.

"Enough…" Sora gasped, sitting up and reaching for the boy, pulling he into a kiss. "I'm ready." He announced.

Riku smiled, pulling his fingers out of the brunette he loved so much. Reaching down, he pulled off his shirt, almost shocked as Sora did the same. Pushing his jeans and boxers to the floor, Riku looked at Sora in awe as the boy pulled a drawer open from his bedside table, reaching in to pull out a small bottle of lotion. Smoothing the cold liquid on Riku's cock, he took notice as the boy hissed from the gel-like substance. Reaching down, Riku pulled Sora's legs onto his shoulder as he positioned the boy, giving him a small warning that it would hurt.

He slowly pushed into the boy, slightly inching into the body of his lover. Then, with one quick thrust, he impaled the boy upon him, watching Sora's face contort into pain. It could have been anything from minutes to hours, but Riku waited for Sora to say it was okay to move. When Sora nodded, eyes wide with what Riku could only see as fear, he leaned do to kiss the boy, thrusting into the body with careful movements. Thrust after thrust, he waited for pleasure to reach his lover. Pure ecstasy clouded his thoughts, making it hard to keep the movements controlled. A leg slipped from his grasp in the middle of a thrust, pushing him into the little bundle of nerves, causing Sora to throw his head back, moaning Riku's name. That was it.

Riku thrust again, wishing to see the unrestrained side of Sora again. The boy writhed under his thrusts, gasping his name as their pace steadily increased. A white light appeared at the edge of their visions as they clamped their eyes shut, the heady smell of sex heavy in the air as the air grew increasingly hotter around them, the loud sounds of skin slapping against skin filling the confines of the room. Riku leaned down again to kiss his blue-eyed angel, peppermint invading the kiss. All this was erased, however, when it finally happened.

Their heads flew back, their hair trailing in the wake of their bodies as the white light took over. Riku collapsed beside Sora, both breathing hard from their climax. They turned to face each other, smiling.

"I love you, Sora." Riku said, pulling the other into a gentle embrace.

"I love you, too." Sora responded, cuddling into the boy's arms.

And it wasn't a lie.

---

End Notes: This is the _longest_ story I have ever written… to think it's a one-shot. It is 12:02 AM, February 14th, 2009 and I absolutely adore this story! It's my first 'hardcore' lemon that's not totally vague! Oh, and the sequel to 'Timeline', AKA: 'Deadline', will be out on the first of March, so do not fret, my sweets! I just had writers block for a while. Since I've caught this cold I've been having great progress with my writing. RnR, please!

Lubs,

Besieged Infection


End file.
